By the Hands of the Chalice
by asummerlovex
Summary: What seems to be a freak accident has the Golden Trio flung through time. Who would've expected them to team up with the most famous pranksters at Hogwarts? But when the pranks go too far, and an ancient prophecy is reveiled, will Hermione be strong enoug
1. The Phoenix Feather

**A/N:** okay, so I know I probably shouldn't be starting a new fic. But really, I need something to distract me from my stupid summer readings...and _Better Off Without You_ isn't doing it. So, without further interruption, here's the story!

**By the Hands of the Chalice **

**Chapter one: The Phoenix Feather.

* * *

**

"That's the door!" Ron yelled, pulling on Hermione. She swung around, wand at the ready.

"Oh, Ron. It's just you," she whispered, relieved.

"Hurry up you idiots! Are you waiting for it to come back?" Harry yelled, pulling them towards the door. Just then, a burst of fire came down the hall, barely missing the Golden Trio. Hermione screamed, startling the boys.

"Bloody hell!" Ron yelled, swinging Hermione into his arms. Harry and Ron took off down the corridor and shouldered through the door. Ron dropped Hermione as soon as they entered the room and turned to the door, casting various locking and protection spells on it.

Hermione was shaken, but simply stood up and brushed the dirt and grime off of her cloak. "A dragon," she hissed. "What could be so important that Dumbledore had to guard it with a _dragon_?" Harry groaned, lifting a feather off of a pedestal.

"This." He said simply. Hermione and Ron gawked at the long red feather.

"You have _got _to be kidding me." Hermione stated, taking the feather from Harry.

"A bloody _dragon..._" Ron started.

"To guard a Phoenix feather." Hermione finished for him. Ron reached over to take the feather from Hermione. As soon as his fingers grazed the feather, a bright light emitted from it, surrounding the Trio. Hermione gasped, dropping the feather. It stayed suspended in the air, the light growing brighter and larger. A familiar sensation tugged at the Trio. It felt like...a port key. With the familiar pull at their belly buttons, the Trio disappeared with the light. All that was left was a single red feather, drifting slowly to the ground.

* * *

Harry collided with the ground with a loud moan. Hermione and Ron didn't seem to be in that much better of a situation. Harry ignored his pain and pushed himself up off the ground. He remembered oh too well what happened the last time he had been transported by an unknown port key.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's alright." He heard a voice towards where Hermione was laying say. Harry turned swiftly, his wand out in front of him. The sight before him wasn't one he ever expected to see.

* * *

Hermione slowly pushed herself off the ground and drew her wand, ready to confront whoever was there. Four boys stared down at her, not including Harry or Ron. One boy was small, with brown hair and mousy features. The next one was tall, with crystal blue eyes and russet hair. Another boy had a mop of jet black hair on his head and a dogish grin. The final one looked just like Harry, except for his eyes. _James. _She thought. Wincing slightly at the pain in her leg, Hermione limped over to Harry.

His jaw was set, tears pooling in his eyes. Hermione instantly knew that he recognized the people in front of him.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Hermione heard Ron grunt as he stood up. She looked over at him and saw him freeze when he saw the four boys. Slowly, he walked up to Harry's side.

"Hey, Prongsie. Lookie." Sirius Black said. "That one's crying. Too bad we can't get that reaction from Snivellius every time he sees us." He then went on to chuckle at his own joke, which had succeeded to bring a grin to James' face.

Hermione was livid. "How _dare _you," she shouted, pointing her wand at Sirius. The Marauder's eyes went as large as dinner plates as they looked at the fuming brunette in front of them. "How _dare_ you pick on him? You have no clue who he is! What he's been through! How _dare _you, Sirius Black, pick on him?"

The boys looked at the girl, who seemed as if she wanted to curse Sirius to hell and back. For his part, Sirius had immediately stopped laughing, and froze in place. The girl's eyes started to pool with angry tears that threatened to fall down her face at any moment.

Remus Lupin, the ever-responsible one of the Marauders felt a pang of sympathy for this girl. He walked slowly up to her, placing his hand on her arm, and drawing her wand down from it's target. The girl gave up easily, her tears getting the best of her. "What happened?" He asked curiously.

Hermione shook her head, too choked up to talk. She gestured wildly to Harry, who snapped out of his shock and whipped at his eyes embarrassedly. "I think we need to see Dumbledore." He stated, sounding slightly sick to his stomach.

"How can we explain _this_ one?" Ron asked. "If we could've been expelled for the things we did _before_, we can certainly get expelled _this_ time."

"I still think we need to see him." Harry stated.

"No, Harry. We're just going to get ourselves in more trouble." Ron insisted. The boys went on to bicker about their plan of action. Hermione stood up straighter and whipped her eyes. She pulled her arm away from Remus and walked up to Harry and Ron.

"Stop." She commanded. The boys ignored her and continued to argue. Hermione glared, anger consuming her. "You...IDIOTS!" She screamed. Harry and Ron turned towards their friend, shocked by her outburst.

"Can't you two _ever_ think logically?" She half asked, half yelled at the boys.

Remus felt a smile tug on his lips. How many times had he demanded the same thing from James and Sirius?

"It was all _planned_, you fools! Do you think Dumbledore called us to his office the same night he was having a meeting with the Minister without a reason? Do you think he made it seem as if Hogwarts were protecting something dangerous accidentally? Do you think he made us thing Snape was going to steal it-again-without a purpose?" The boys looked blankly at her.

Hermione screamed in frustration. "_Dumbledore_ sent us here, you idiots! He _wanted _us to suspect Snape. He _wanted_ us to go through that idiotic maze. He _wanted_ us to confront the dragon! And can you figure out _why?" _She paused for a breath, allowing the boys to think it through. Harry seemed to have figured it out, if his groan was any clue. Ron seemed just as clueless as ever.

"Dumbledore wanted us to be here! That's why we've been sent back in time twenty years!" Hermione yelled, glaring angrily at Ron. His mouth fell open, and Harry slapped himself on the head.

"Uh...Hermione? I think that may not have been the best time to announce that..." Harry mumbled, pointing towards the Marauders. Hermione turned slowly around and was met with four boys, gaping at her as if she were insane.

"BLOODY HELL!" She screamed.

* * *

**A/N:** well, that was fun. I know some of them may have seemed out of character...but oh well. That's how I want them. Tootles. 


	2. Lupa, Leone, Portare, and the Gemellos

**A/N**: Hee, hee. Finally found some time to get on here !

Thanks, **lazybumx91x**. I'm glad you enjoyed Hermione's outburst!

**Lupa, Leone, Portare, and the Gemellos.**

After Hermione's outburst, the boys were quite shocked. The Marauders, of course, couldn't believe the trio before them were from the future. Harry an Ron, however, simply couldn't believe that Hermione had acted so rashly.

Ron was the first to recover. "Bloody hell, Hermione. Who would've thought you had it in you?" He asked. " I mean, it's not often you screw up. That's usually my job. Heck, even Harry's."

"Hey!" Harry protested. Ron ignored him and continued on with his little 'speech'.

"Nice to know you actually can, you know, screw up. Takes a notch off the whole 'I'm miss perfect' thing.

Hermione promptly burst into tears. Leave it to Ron to say the wrong thing. Ron paled when he saw what he had done, but quickly turned red under the gazes of the Marauders and his best mate.

Remus slowly made his way towards Hermione and placed an comforting arm around her shoulders, despite the amused looks on his friends' faces, and Ron's glare. He blushed lightly. "I think we _all_ should go see Dumbledore." Remus stated.

(insert break...)

Once in the castle, Hermione seemed much better off. She lead the group, with Remus at her side, to Dumbledore's office. "Lemon drop." She said to the gargoyle. The statue didn't move. Hermione glared at it, not liking its defiant expression.

"Licorice snap. Fizzing Wizzbe. Chocolate Frog." Hermione ticked off various past passwords.

"Bertie Botts' Every Flavored Beans." Remus said, coming to her rescue. Hermione turned and smiled gratefully to him as the gargoyle jumped out of the way.

The Marauders, along with the Golden Trio, made their way up the staircase. Hermione knocked on the door. "Come in." A voice inside said.

The students entered their Headmaster's office gratefully. "Ah, the Marauders." Dumbledore stated, looking at the students. "Oh, who's the Trio?" A glint in his eye caught Hermione's attention. That was a _knowing_ glint. Surly, something was up.

"Please, sir," She started. " My name is Hermione Granger. These are my two best friends, Ron Weasly and Harry Po-errr...Harry." She finished lamely. "It seems we have a small dilemma. You see, although we're standing before you now, we won't be born for about five years." (**A/N:** Bear with me. I don't know precisely when Harry and the others were born in reference to the Marauders.)

"Ah, time travelers. It's about time you arrived, you know." Dumbledore stated. The Trio gaped at him in awe. "By the way, Hermione, I think you may want to recheck your facts. One of you, you see, will _not _be born in five years. Said person was born sixteen years ago."

All seven of the students stared at their Headmaster. Harry, Ron, James, Sirius, and Peter were still trying to decipher what Dumbledore had just said. Hermione and Remus, however, were simply shocked at his implication.

"You see," Dumbledore started, "about sixteen years ago, I came across a prophecy. This prophecy told of three beings in particular: _Lupa, Leone, _and _Portare. _The prophecy was complicated and took me months to translate, since it's written in an old form of the Italian language. I'm not going to tell you the prophecy word for word, as it is very confusing and I doubt that I would even be able to do so.

"The prophecy started with _Lupa. Lupa, _it seems, is probably the most important of all three beings. This person was born as part of the _Gemellos,_ the twins. _Lupa_ was born to a pureblood family of great power, relations stretching all the way to Godric Gryffindor himself. Born during the lunar eclipse, _Lupa_ was destined, along with the other _Gemello_, to help bring about the fall of the dark lord.

" Knowing this, I couldn't allow both of the _Gemellos_ to stay together. There was no way to insure their safety with the dark times approaching us. So, I sent the _Lupa_ into the future. Of course, I didn't know that the times then would be so much worse than they are here. Also, I didn't completely think this action through. I must admit, parting them at the age of five wasn't the best idea. The other _Gemello_ was quite distraught. " Dumbledore paused, regretting his decision. Hermione tried to work over what Dumbledore had said.

"The prophecy continued with _Lupa_ meeting _Leone_ and _Portare. _Together, the Trio defied the dark lord multiple times. Once they defeated the _Drago, _the_ Lupa _would be able to return to its rightful home; its den, in a sense. There, _Lupa_ would be reunited with the other _Gemello, _the _Maschio._ Together, along with the _Leone, _the _Portare, _the _Luna, _the _Cane, _and the _Ratto, _the _Lupa_ would be able to fulfil its destiny.

"I have to admit, that's the part that surprised me the most. The prophecy directly said, _'The dark lord cannot fall to the hands of the beasts. Only the Chalice can bring about his downfall_. _But if all are to fall, none will succeed._'" Dumbledore finished, leaving all but one student completely confused. Hermione looked slightly sick.

"Sir, if I may, I think I know who each of us are." Her voice trembled slightly.

"Do go on...Miss _Granger."_ Dumbledore said. Hearing the pressure put upon her last name, Hermione was sure her suspicions were right.

"Well, sir. At first I assumed that the _Lupa_ was Harry. I mean, he _is _the Boy Who Lived. And the Chosen One. But then I noticed that you said _Lupa, _not _Lupo. _Since _Lupa_ is the feminine term of _wolf_ in Italian, it can't be Harry, or even Ron. It would have to be me."

"Correct, Miss Granger." Dumbledore said proudly.

"But why _Lupa?_" Remus asked. _Could Hermione possibly be...a werewolf?_

"Well, to be honest, that didn't make much sense to me either. But when Dumbledore said the part about being born under the lunar eclipse, it made slightly more sense. The animal most associated with the moon is, of course, the werewolf. Since I know I'm not a werewolf, I assumed that the term must literally mean wolf. I assume this is my animagus form. Correct?" Hermione looked to Dumbledore, who nodded his head.

"That's what we're assuming. Of course, it still has to be proven...but something tells me that there may be some things...or some _ones _who can help us confirm that." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with mischief as the boys shifted under his gaze.

"If I'm correct so far, this means that _this_ is the time I truly belong in. Knowing that '_gemellos',_ in Italian, means 'twins', I assume that I have a sibling among us. And since '_maschio'_ means 'stag,' I'm assuming that my twin is James Potter." Hermione gulped.

"WHAT?" Harry and James said at once.

"You mean to tell me I had family _all along?_" Harry yelled.

"You're telling me I have a _twin sister?_" James asked, amazed.

"Yes. Miss Potter, I assume it's time I take of that glamour charm I had to place on you?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione's eyes widened.

_Of course, _she thought to herself,_ I would _have_ to have a glamour charm on me. I look nothing like James. _Hermione nodded. With a flick of Dumbledore's wand, Hermione Granger disappeared, leaving Hermione Potter in her place. Long, ebony curls fell to the girl's lower back. She was about six feet tall, with a slender build. Her arms were tight and muscular, as well as her legs. Her stomach was firm and tight. Her eyes were a bright hazel; a hint of mischief shown in them. She was, by all accounts, _very _attractive. She had curves in all of the right places. This could be why both Ron and Sirius were drooling. Remus wasn't quite that far gone, but even he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

The girl blinked, as if memories had surged through her. "Jamie?" She asked, looking at James.

"Bloody hell. I remember now." James stated. "It's Mya." The girl allowed a bright smile to cover her face as she embraced her long-lost brother.

"So...Hermione is...my aunt?" Harry asked. James looked shocked. Hermione seemed amused.

"Well, did you honestly think he wasn't related to you at all?" She teased her twin. James shook his head in amazement.

Remus still wanted to know the rest of the prophecy. "Care to translate the rest, Mya?" He asked Hermione. She smiled brilliantly.

"Well, to make it simple, Harry is _Leone, _Ron is _Portare_, Sirius is _Cane_, Peter is _Ratto_, and you, Remus...," her voice fell to a whisper, "you are _Luna_. The moon." Remus' face went blank.

"Y-you know...?" He asked quietly.

"Yes. I was the first to figure it out." Hermione said sadly. Remus started to turn away, but stopped when he found himself wrapped in a tight embrace. "I don't care _what_ you are, Remus. You are a good man. The best I have _ever _known. It's not your fault you're a werewolf. I mean, it's not something that can be helped. But Remus, I'm not afraid. I could never be afraid of you. And I never was." She smiled deeply. "_I don't care what you are."_ She repeated. Remus was shocked.

Ron cleared his throat loudly. "Finish." He said simply. Hermione sighed deeply.

"Well...this is the part I'm not too fond of." She admitted. Dumbledore placed a hand on her shoulder, lending her comfort.

"You see, the prophecy said that only the Chalice can defeats the dark lord. Of course, it also said that none can succeed without the others. I take this to mean that if any of us are murdered, the dark lord...Voldemort, _won't_ be defeated." The boys nodded, accepting her reasoning.

"But the thing is...the Chalice refers to sacred femininity," Hermione continued. "Goddesses, in particular. And...Mary Magdalen. Directly, the Chalice is a cup...like the holy grail. But there are certain questions as to _what_ the Grail is. Some people believe it is, indeed, a cup. Others...think it was a woman. The Chalice, in this case, would refer to a woman's ability to hold a child within her. Knowing this, the Chalice can only be a woman. The Chalice...is me."


	3. Explanations are Long Overdue

**Explanations are Long Overdue.**

The boys stared at Hermione in awe. "Wait...," Harry started. "You _can't_ be the chalice, Hermione. Dumbledore must have translated wrong! _I'm_ the Chosen One!" Harry didn't seem upset with Hermione's reasoning that he truly _wasn't_ the Chosen One. He was more upset with finding out that his best girl mate _was._

"Harry, I _must_ be the Chalice." Hermione stated. "The Prophecy mentioned seven people; the Golden Trio and the Marauders. You are _Leone,_ the lion. Ron is _Portare, _the bear. Sirius is _Cane, _the dog. Peter is _Ratto, _the rat. James and I both are the _Gemellos, _and James is _Maschio,_ the stag. That leaves me to be _Lupa._"

Harry looked towards the ground. "Hermione, if you are the Chalice, that means you're going to have to fight Voldemort on your own." He seemed to shudder slightly. When he looked up, his eyes were so raw, so sorrowful, that they made James wonder _what_ exactly had happened to make his son like this. "I don't want to loose you, Hermione. Not now. Not ever."

Hermione's eyes filled up with tears at Harry's statement. "Oh, Harry!" She cried, wrapping her arms around him. The other occupants of the room looked apprehensive and awkward. Hermione pulled away from Harry and whipped at her eyes.

"So, Grandfather," she started, "what shall we do now that we're here?" The six boys in the room looked to her as if she were crazy. Who was she addressing?

"Ahh, very good, Mya. I knew you'd be the first to figure it out." Dumbledore stated proudly.

_Wait..._, James thought, _mom's a halfblood. _(**A/N:** If she's not...lets just pretend she is.)_ Which means that one of her parents were magical. Could it be..._ "You're my mother's father, aren't you?" James asked Dumbledore. Dumbledore looked back at him happily.

"Yes, Jamie my boy. I am indeed your mother's father." Harry paled at this remark.

"You...have...got...to...be...BLOODY KIDDING ME." He screamed. Hermione winced, stepping behind Remus for protection. "MY BLOODY GRANDFATHER WAS ALIVE THIS ENTIRE TIME...AND YOU MADE ME LIVE WITH THE DURSLEYS? HOW COULD YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME! I **TRUSTED** YOU!"

Remus groaned, cupping his hands over his ears. God, this kid could _scream._ And let's just say that, added to werewolf senses, did _not_ make for a happy Remus. Hermione reached her hand out gingerly and placed it on Remus's arm. "Don't worry, he'll quiet down soon enough. He always does." She stated. Remus gave her a thankful smile.

"Harry, be reasonable, now." Hermione stated, walking away from Remus. "First off, _be careful what you say._ This _isn't_ the Dumbledore from your time. He doesn't know what's going to happen in a few years. He doesn't know what happens on Halloween, so give him a break." Hermione's hands were on her hips, and she was standing up to her full height. Her eyes were sparkling with an anger that could rival Molly Weasly's.

"Second, being Dumbledore's great grandson would only make matters _worse_ for you. Just imagine how many _more _people would be after you! He did it to _protect _you. And Harry, quit the look. I know you're going to tell me that you can take care of yourself and blah, blah, blah, but you _can't._ You're strong, Harry. One of the strongest wizards ever. But do you think that at five you would've been able to defend yourself against a dark wizard? Do you think at ten you'd be able to take on a crowd of Death Eaters? Do you honestly think that?" Hermione stopped, and looked at her best friend...and nephew.

"Wether you like it or not, Harry, all everybody has been trying to do your entire life is protect you." Her voice had softened, revealing how hurt she truly was. "Besides," she started, her voice lightening, "don't you think he should have told _me_ all of this stuff _loooong_ before today?" Harry smirked slightly at that.

"Well said, Mya. Now, it's been an absolutely _dreary_ day. I'm sure you'd all like to retire to your chambers, eh? The Marauders will take you to Gryffindor tower, where you'll spend the night. Harry, Ron, you'll be rooming with the Marauders. Mya, you'll be rooming with the other sixth year girls, including a Miss Lily Evans." Dumbledore stated. "I'll take care of everything else. Tomorrow, you six - and Miss Evans - can have the day off to go visit Hogsmead for anything you may need."

"Thank you, Grandfather." Hermione said sleepily.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"So, Harry. Please tell me James and I taught you to keep up the Marauder traditions." Sirius stated once they settled into the Gryffindor common room. Harry froze.

"Um...well...not exactly..." He stuttered, refusing to look at James and Sirius.

"Well then, at least tell me that we taught you to be an animagus." James requested. Harry shook his head.

"No...you never got the chance to." The last part, of course, was muttered. Only Remus, with his werewolf hearing, heard him.

_What on earth does Harry mean?_ Remus wondered to himself. He cast a glance in Hermione's direction, only to see her eyes practically overflowing with tears.

"Just tell them, Harry! We can't let that happen this time. I _refuse _to let it happen!" Hermione's cries were wild, powered by sadness. Harry looked at her for a moment.

"Harry...please...tell us." James begged. Harry took a deep breath and looked up.

"You die." He said simply. "You. Mom. Sirius. You all _die._" James and Sirius looked shocked.

"_What?_" Sirius choked out after a moment of silence. Hermione let out a strangled breath.

"Halloween. Voldemort comes to your house, James. He kills you. Then your wife gives her life to protect Harry. The killing curse rebounds off of him, and back to Voldemort. He is reduced to nothing; a wondering soul." Hermione didn't take a single breath the entire time.

"How can that happen?" Sirius wondered.

"Okay, wait. My wife and I knew we were in danger, correct?" James looked to Hermione, who nodded her head. "So we had to be in hiding, right?" Hermione nodded again. James considered this for a moment, before adding, "Well, then...how did..Vo..Voldemort get to us? I mean...no one but one person would've known where we were." Hermione started crying even harder. Ron walked over and started rubbing her back in a brotherly way. Harry looked at James, his eyes seemingly made of stone.

"Your secret keeper was on Voldemort's side." He hissed angrily.

"That's impossible!" James cried. "No offense to anyone here, but without a doubt, Sirius would be my secret keeper. He'd never betray me!" Harry laughed coldly.

"No, Sirius would never do that. Sirius spent twelve years in Azkaban for something he didn't even do." Harry said bitterly. Hermione proceeded to walk over to him and embrace him. "Sirius may never do that...," Harry stated, "...but a certain _rat_ would." Harry fixed his fiery gaze on Peter.

The Marauders gaped at Harry. "You...you _can't _be serious!" Remus stuttered. Peter looked the most disturbed.

"How, Harry?" He questioned quietly. "I could...I could _never_ do that to my friends."

"LIAR!" Harry spat angrily. Hermione placed her hand on his arm.

"Harry, this Peter is still innocent. Look in front of you. Your father is still here." Harry's muscles tightened in anger under her hand. "And Harry?" She started, turning his head to face her. "As your aunt, I can promise you..._I won't let that happen twice._"

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

There had been a stony silence for a while after Hermione's words. Eventually, all but Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Remus retired to their beds to think about what they had been told.

"Hey...Hermione?" Remus asked quietly. She looked over to him with a 'what?' expression. "Thanks...for what you said earlier. You know...in Dumbledore's office. No one's ever done something like that for me before." He smiled sheepishly at her.

_It's hard to believe..._Hermione thought, _that this wonderful, handsome boy turns into such a sad adult. That...that's just one more thing I **refuse** to let happen again..._ Hermione smiled sweetly at him. "Remus, you don't have to thank me. I care about you, Remus." With that, Hermione stood up, embraced Ron and Harry, and turned towards Remus. "Goodnight." She said softly, embracing him tightly. He sighed contentedly in her arms.

"Goodnight..." He replied. _How can someone you just met mean so much to you already?_ Remus asked himself.

As soon as Hermione had retreated to the girls' dorms, Remus bade Harry and Ron goodnight, and went to his own dorm. Ron let out a long-held sigh.

Harry gave his friend a sympathetic smile. "Jealous?" He asked lightly. Ron colored, nodding slightly. Harry sighed.

"You know Ron...with everything we've found out..." He sighed again. "It doesn't look like Hermione and you will _ever_ be together, mate."

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

A/N: Aweeee...poor Ron. Oh well. Anyways...thanks go to **amrawo, Mrs. ST. John Allerdyce, gooby, RosieLady, Lena Andromeda Black, Blossom1098, AlexandraKathleen, **and** TweakyTree. **

Aweeee...poor Ron. Oh well. Anyways...thanks go to and 

Quick poll:

What should happen with the Marauders and Peter?

A.) They shun him.

B.) They reinforce their friendship.

C.) The Marauders shun him, but Hermione works to make sure he doesn't join Voldemort.


	4. The Wonders of Hogsmead

A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't had time to write! My tennis has literally been taking up every spare second of my time, but I'm going to try to get on more now. So, without further delay, here's the next chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Four: The Wonders of Hogsmead**

Hermione woke up with a jolt. At first, she couldn't remember where she was. Cautiously, she poked her head out of her bed curtains. A petit, fiery red haired girl was moving around the bed next to Hermione, carefully straightening the sheets. _Oh my god, that's . . ._

"Oh, you must be Hermione!" The girl said cheerfully as she caught sight of the now ebony haired bookworm.

"Uh ... right," Hermione responded foolishly, then mentally smacked herself. "I mean, yes I am. And you must be Lily Evans, correct?" Lily gave a bright smile in return.

"Yup, that's right. Dumbledore sent me an owl this morning. I'm accompanying you to Hogsmead?" A bright, joyful spark lit up the girl's eyes.

"Yeah, if you want to, that is," Hermione replied with a laugh.

"Want to? I'd _love_ to!" With that, Lily lent Hermione some clothes and forced her to rush through her morning routine.

_Wow,_ Hermione thought as Lily was pulling her down the stairs. _I never expected Harry's mother to act like this!

* * *

_

Lily had stopped dead in her tracks upon reaching the end of the stairs. Hermione carefully braced herself on the wall to keep from crashing into her new friend. Curiously, she poked her head out around Lily to see what caused the girl to stop.

The Marauders were waiting for them, eagerly looking towards the stairs. "You have _got_ to be _kidding_ me!" Lily whined loudly, before huffing off and collapsing onto a spare seat. "What's _Potter_ doing here?"

Hermione snickered lightly. "Well, Lily, considering he is my _brother_, Dumbledore felt that it would be appropriate for him to accompany us. Along with the rest of the Marauders, and my two friends there." Lily gaped at her.

"You're Potter's sister? My god! How are you still alive?" Lily's face held true confusion, worry, and even pity. Hermione laughed at her.

"He's not that bad, Lils. I mean, sure, he's a pain in the butt, but he isn't as horrible as you've mad him out to be," Hermione replied with a small, knowing smile. Lily gaped at her. _Wow,_ Hermione thought_, Lily does already like James. It's pretty obvious. She's just ... really stubborn._

"Well, are we going to waste time on my family history, or are we gonna go to Hogsmead already?" Hermione asked, placing her hands on her hips and giving her friends a sly smirk.

"Right," James said, hopping up of the couch. "But first,..."

"It's BREAKFAST TIME!" Sirius yelled, finishing James's sentence. The boys all shared a look and rushed out of the portrait.

"Jeez, you would figure that they'd learn that the food will still be there by now," Lily said with a chuckle.

* * *

Hermione walked into the Great Hall and smiled. _It's not that much different, really_, she noted. The students were different, of course, but they all resembled the ones she was used to. Which would make sense, since most of them were the parents of the students she grew up with. "It's so good to be back," Hermione said. Lily shot her a look.

"Oh, you've been to Hogwarts before this year?"

"Yeah. Dumbledore's my grandfather, Lily. I spent a few years growing up here, exploring the castle and all that jazz," Hermione said with a grin. Right on cue, Dumbledore winked at her. With a slight wave, she sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Remus. He, unlike the other boys, was actually chewing with his mouth closed, employing the use of a napkin, and once and a while placing his fork down to hold a conversation.

Harry, Ron, James, Sirius, and even Peter, on the other hand, were basically shoving food into their mouths, which appeared to be bottomless pits.

"Wow, nice to see that _someone_ has some manners," Hermione said with a sneer, shooting an appreciative smile in Remus's direction. "But the rest of you need to go to charm school."

Sirius looked indignant at the suggestion. "My, Hermione! You insult me! Charm school, as I'm sure such a charming young lady as yourself should know, is for _girls._"

Hermione fluttered her eyelashes, an innocent look on her face. "Oh, yes, Mr. Black. I am so, so sorry for bruising your _precious_ ego." James and Harry - after thankfully swallowing their food - started laughing. Sirius pouted and gave Hermione his patented puppy-eyes.

"Oh, no you don't, Padfoot. I'll have you know that I don't get charmed very easily," Hermione commented, delicately cutting off a bit of pancake and placing it gently in her mouth. Harry chuckled at his aunt.

"Now, really, Hermione. I seem to remember a certain famous Quidditch player that had you pretty firmly wrapped around his finger," Harry commented. All eyes went to Hermione, who was blushing a very brilliant shade of pink.

"Erm, well, I ... um ...," Hermione mumbled desperately, shielding her bright face in her curtain of ebony hair.

"It's okay, Mya!" Remus said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I mean, not even brilliant, charming Hermione Potter can be immune to _every_ guy," He teased, shooting her a flirtatious grin. Hermione blushed even deeper, now resembling a very red tomato.

"Okay well, um ... How about we head to Hogsmead now?" Hermione asked desperately before jumping up from the table and walking quickly towards the door. Behind her, her friends laughed happily.

* * *

"Alright," James announced as the group entered Hogsmead. "We've got a lot of ground to cover, eh?"

"That would be right, mate," Ron agreed. "Harry and I need clothes. And school supplies."

"Don't forget me, Ronald," Hermione added. "I need clothes and school supplies, too."

"Well then, how about we all split up," Lily suggested. "We can meet for lunch at that new restaurant next to the Three Broomsticks at noon."

"Good idea," Sirius admitted. "What's the restaurant called?"

"The Looking Glass," Lily said, grabbing onto Hermione and Remus and leading them away from the group.

"Hey!" Remus protested.

"Oh, sush. We're going to a bookstore," Lily said as she rolled her eyes. Remus's face brightened.

"Seeya later guys!" He said, waving over his shoulder, his friends already forgotten.

James looked from Sirius to Harry. "Well then. How about we hit the Quidditch supply store first?"

* * *

"Wait a minute," Remus protested. "I thought you said we were going to a _book_ store!"

"We're going to the book store _after_ Hermione buys some clothes, Remus!" Lily said in an annoyed voice as she yanked the poor boy into _Madame Leslie's Clothes for Young Women._ Hermione giggled at the sight. "What do you think you're doing, Hermione?" Lily chastised, realizing that Hermione was hanging behind.

"Erm, well I'm not actually all that into clothes," Hermione answered sheepishly.

"No wonder Dumbledore asked me to tag along," Lily said with a sigh as she began to pull Hermione into the store.

"Hullo, dearies," a tall, fair skinned blonde woman greeted them. "I am Madame Leslie. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Lily shoved Remus and Hermione into two squishy chairs by the dressing room. "Yes there is, Madame. I need help picking out an entire wardrobe for my friend over there."

Madame Leslie's face lit up. "Oh, how exciting!" She exclaimed. Hermione and Remus watched in awe as Lily and Madame Leslie made their way around the store, plucking various items of clothing from the walls and racks and levitating them into the fitting room. Hermione looked towards Remus. 'Help me!' she mouthed. Remus just stared with his eyes wide as Lily and Madame Leslie made their way over, both with an armful of clothes.

"Okay Hermione, in you go!" Lily said.

"Do I really have to try _all_ of this on?" Hermione asked, eyeing the huge pile.

"Yup!" Lily said, pushing her friend into the dressing room and handing her a pair of short, black dress shorts and a peach three quarter sleeved shirt with a pair of black converse. A moment later, Hermione stepped out.

"Gorgeous!" Madame Leslie said.

_You can say that again, _Remus thought, his eyes bulging. Hermione blushed.

"You sure they're not too short?" She asked, tugging at the shorts a little bit.

"Not at all. And since everything else is your size ... I guess you don't _have_ to try anything else on. Just that dress I put in there, okay?" Lily requested.

Hermione went back into the dressing room and returned a moment later wearing an emerald green dress that fell just past her knees, and was supported with black netting.

"Perfect," Remus whispered. Lily heard and shot him a sly look.

"That dress is perfect for the Halloween ball, Hermione. We just need to get you a mask, and you're set!" Lily said happily.

"Great," Hermione said. "Now can I _please_ get out of this store?"

* * *

"Look, mate. It's not that difficult. You see, just remember the color wheel," Sirius said to Ron, who was currently trying to pair a hunter green pair of slacks with a bright yellow top. "Some colors look way better together than others. You just don't seem to understand that." Harry and James snickered as Ron's ears turned a fetching shade of red.

"Oh, bugger off Sirius," he mumbled.

* * *

After pulling Hermione and Remus from the bookstore, Lily found herself waiting in front of the Looking Glass, obviously annoyed. Remus and Hermione were sitting down on a cast-iron bench out side of the café, reading their respective books. "Ugh! Sometimes I just wanna kill that James Potter!" Lily shrieked.

Hermione shot her a particularly scathing look. "Well, Lily, I hope that you remember that he _is_ my dear brother when you're plotting his murder."

"Sorry about that, Mya," Lily said sheepishly. Hermione nodded with a small 'humph' and turned back to her book.

"Lily Flower!" James yelled.

"Potter. You're late," Lily said as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry my sweet. I'm sure you waited desperately for me."

"In your dreams, Potter."

"How about you two shut up for once?" Harry asked, clearly peeved. Hermione shot Harry a grateful look and packed up her belongings.

"Okay then, lets go get something to eat," she suggested.

"Actually," Ron said, "Harry and I are going to head back to Hogwarts early. And we have no clue where Peter went."

Hermione fretted over the new information. "You mean he just ... left?"

"Yeah, that's about right," Sirius said with a shrug.

Hermione bit her lip lightly, contemplating what this could mean. Only Remus seemed to notice her worry. "Okay then. We'll see you at the castle later. Bye Harry, Ron!" The boys waved and walked away, just as a bubbly blonde walked up to Sirius.

"Hi Siri!" She practically squealed, latching herself onto his arm.

"Oh, um, hi Lindsey," Sirius blushed. "Guys, Hermione, Lily? This is my ... Lindsey."

Hermione giggled to herself, but reached out a gentle hand anyway. "Nice to meet you. I'm Hermione Potter." Lindsey smiled and lightly shook Hermione's hand.

"So, what do you say we go get some lunch finally?" Lily asked. The group headed inside the quaint café where they were greeted by a tall, red headed waitress.

"Hi, my name is Mandy. Is this your first time at the Looking Glass?"

"Yup," Hermione replied with a smile.

"Okay then," Mandy started. "The Looking Glass is a special café that helps to build relationships, both intimate and friendly. Almost ninety percent of the couples paired up here end up together at one point," she winked at Lily and James, the former of which blushed soundly. "All you have to do is look into the mirror on the wall," she gestured to a seemingly glowing mirror that hung on the wall directly across from the group of friends, "and you will be transported into your own specific cubicle, which will be designed to fit your taste. If you would please step up one at a time, we can start your experience."

The friends looked apprehensively at one another. No one seemed to want to make the first move. "Oh, hell," Hermione said, breaking the awkward silence. "I'll go first."

Slowly, she walked towards the mirror. On closer inspection, she realized that it was just a normal mirror. _How does this thing choose?_ Hermione found herself wondering. _It knows nothing about us. It's an inanimate object. It can't possibly know what is right for us, can it? _The mirror let of a glint, as if it were blinking. _The Goblet of Fire was like this, I suppose. I mean, it couldn't have known anything about the competitors..._ Her thought process was stilled as the mirror shot out a bright light, surrounding her. She felt the familiar pull at her navel and was transported to a tropical beach scene. "Well, that was odd," Hermione said, plopping down on the sand to wait for her 'date.'

* * *

The remaining members of the group looked at one another, worry radiating off of each glance. "Well," James started as he walked towards the mirror, "here goes nothing." _This mirror is odd,_ he thought. _It doesn't even have a magical aura on it. How can it possibly work?_ The mirror glinted at him, then quickly surrounded him in the same white light that consumed Hermione. James was plopped down into what appeared to be a balcony in Paris, with a brilliant view of the Eiffel Tower. "Damn, who knew I was a _romantic_," James said, eyes wide.

* * *

"Heyyyy can I go next? Can I? Siriiii I wanna go next," Lindsey squealed.

"FINE. Just go!" Lily snapped, clearly irritated by the bubbly blonde.

"Like, YAY!" Lindsey cheered, skipping over to the mirror. Lily shot Sirius a look that clearly said 'what the hell are you thinking?', which Lindsey was completely oblivious to. _Woooow,_ she thought. _It' s soooo SHINY! _The mirror blinked quickly, as if embarrassed to have the girl in front of him. She found herself in a fifties styled muggle café, with bright pastel artwork. "Aweee how cute!"

* * *

"Ladies first, Remus, _Siri_," Lily giggled, walking towards the mirror. _I wonder who I'll get placed with, _she thought as she bit her lip. _I hope it won't be Potter. But ... Hermione says he's not that bad ..._ The light surrounded her, filling her with nervousness. She found herself standing in front of a candle lit table, placed on a high balcony. The Eiffel Tower was clearly visible from her view. "Wow," she said breathlessly, "it's gorgeous."

"And so are you," a voice said.

Lily spun quickly around. "James?"

* * *

"Bye, Mandy. Call me!" Sirius said, as he walked towards the mirror. Mandy, for her part, merely shook her head. _Hell this is one GREAT mirror,_ Sirius thought. _Really shows off the muscles. And the hair looks just PERFECT._ Quickly, the mirror glinted, transporting Sirius into a pastel diner.

"SIRIIIIIIII!"

* * *

"Well, I guess I'm the only one left," Remus announced. Confidently, he walked towards the mirror. _It smells funny,_ he thought as he wrinkled his nose. _Too metallic and almost of rust. Could that be the scent of it's magic?_ Although most werewolves couldn't 'smell' magic, Remus could. Usually, it was just a very distinctive scent. For example, a muggle and a witch could both smell of lilacs. But the witch's scent would be more intense than the muggle's, and would have an almost wild taint to it. The mirror blinked at Remus, transporting him to a sandy, fruity scented beach. _Gorgeous,_ he thought, taking a deep breath full of salty sea air. _I wonder who I'm here with ... _

The scent of strawberries and cream hit Remus like a ton of bricks. He spun around, shocked, but secretly pleased, by the familiar scent. "Hello, Remus," Hermione said with a pretty pink blush.

* * *

A/N: Yet again, sorry I took so long. And I just wanted to mention that I have nothing against blondes, since I technically am one. I just don't like the ones that act like Lindsey. And I thought that would be the perfect personality to give one of Sirius's girls. Anyway, tata for now. 


End file.
